Life Span
Annual or Biennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Cactus, Fruit
Origin
Mexico, Central America
Caribbean, Central America
Types
Mexican potato,Mexican yam bean
Hylocereus undatus, Hylocereus costaricensis, Hylocereus megalanthus
Number of Varieties
-3
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
agricultural areas, Moist Soils, Wet ground
Rocky areas, Terrestrial
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-1511-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-8
12-9
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Spreading
Plant Size
Minimum Height
300.00 cm180.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
50.00 cm240.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Lavender
White, Gold
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Tan
Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
-
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
-
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
-
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Toothed
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer
Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry soil, Shallow soil
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
From bulbs
Cuttings, reseeds, Stem Cutting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Keep ground moist
Average Water Needs, Keep the Soil well drained
In Summer
Average Water
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Moderate
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Beetles, Leaf spot, Red blotch
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Shade areas, Shallow soil
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
Semi-Double
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Coarse
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Butterflies, Mice
-
Allergy
Irritation to stomach, Itchiness
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
As decorated salad, Beautification
Beauty Benefits
Improve skin tone
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Food for animals, Soil protection
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Cold, Fever, Inflammation
Antidiabetic, Appetite enhancer, increase memory, Weight loss
Part of Plant Used
Bulbs, Root
Fruits
Other Uses
Used As Food
-
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Container, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Rock Garden, Wall, Tropical
Botanical Name
PACHYRHIZUS erosus
HYLOCEREUS undatus
Common Name
Mexican Yam bean
Pitahaya, Dragon fruit, Night blooming Cereus, Strawberry Pear, Belle of the Night, Cinderella Plant, Jesus in the Cradle
In Hindi
Pachyrhizus erosus
Red Pitaya
In German
Yambohne
Drachenfrucht, Distelbirne
In French
Kłębian kątowaty
pitaya, fruit du dragon, cierge-lézard, poire de chardon
In Spanish
Pachyrhizus erosus
pitahaya roja (Colombia, Mexico, Venezuela); flor de caliz, pitajava (Puerto Rico); junco, junco tapatio, pitahaya orejona, reina de la noche, tasajo (Mexico)
In Greek
Pachyrhizus erosus
Φρούτο του δράκου (fruto tu draku)
In Portuguese
Pachyrhizus erosus
pitaia, cato-barse, cardo-ananaz, rainha da noite
In Polish
Pachyrhizus erosus
Red Pitaya
In Latin
Pachyrhizus erosus
Red Pitaya
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Angiosperms
Magnoliophyta
Class
Eudicotyledones
Magnoliopsida
Order
Fabales
Caryophyllales
Family
Fabaceae
Cactaceae
Genus
Pachyrhizus
Hylocereus
Clade
Angiosperms
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Cacteae
Subfamily
-
Cactoideae
Number of Species
10020
1
27800
👆🏻